veedubadventures.co.uk
  • Home
  • Blog
  • My Essential RoadTrip Kit - Buyer's Guide
    • Staying Connected - Tech Tips
    • Kitting Out Your Rolling Home
  • The Route
  • Photo Gallery
  • E-Guides

3 Bs and a C ?...

5/2/2018

9 Comments

 
You might be forgiven for thinking I'd gone back to school and this blog title was my GCSE results.

Thankfully not,  I have been occupied with far more interesting, exciting and somewhat scary things over the last few months.

Buckle up dear reader because  never was a lyric so fitting as: 'life is a roller coaster, just gotta ride it' ...

B1 is for Bus - our beloved Eileen is no longer our full time permanent home.  She is parked up nearby,  slightly neglected and emptier than she has been for 18 months.  Not as empty as I would like however as she has been host to a few cute but unwanted visitors.  Yes we've had some mice come to stay,  an occupational hazard when you live in the country.  Humane traps and tracker bars dipped in fake nutella seem to have done the trick and Mickey, Minnie,  Miranda and Marcel have all been kindly released - several miles down the road!

B2 is for Boat - EXCITING!!!  In early December an opportunity arose for us to acquire Midnight Blue a 57' narrowboat build in '97 on a residential mooring in exactly the right location for us.  Beautifully appointed with a woodburning stove,  fitted kitchen,  gallons of hot water and an oven (not to mention the pub 5 minutes walk away) all we needed was our toothbrushes, pyjamas and clean pants to make ourselves at home!

The December snow fall delayed our move from Bus2Boat so we still had the extreme challenge of temps down at -7 in Eileen and being snowed in for several days. 

Our first 3 weeks on Midnight temps didn't get much above freezing.  Keeping the boat warm end to end is harder than the bus but the stove makes up for that.  The oven has also seen a great deal of pizza action!  

B3 is for Boobs  - well,  specifically one boob that has been misbehaving.  So it seems that turning 50 isn't just about jacking it in, packing it up and heading into the sunset on an epic adventure.

Luckily for me it also means a whole raft of mid-life health checks.  Having done eyes and teeth and  had wrist pain diagnosed as osteo-arthritis I duly trotted off for my first ever mammogram.  A week later I received a recall asking me to come back for another look.  The letter was very simply written and included reassuring statistics about how many women are recalled for innocent anomalies.

Not for a single second did I think I would not be in that bracket - I absolutely believed that all this was because I'd forgotten not to put deodrant on that day.

It was quite a big shock to be told I was to have a biopsy for a large and very serious growth that had shown up on the x-ray.

Which brings me to the 'C?' of this blog title.

The question mark is both excellent and frightening at the same time.  Excellent because without the mammogram there is absolutely no way I would have known I had a tumour - and believe me I check.  Frightening because exactly how serious it is yet to be 100% confirmed.

After the first biopsy I was given some great news,  the initial results showed that the carcinoma had not infiltrated my lymph nodes and appeared not to have invaded any surrounding tissue.

I was called back 2 days before Christmas for another biopsy - a big badass of a biopsy to remove much more tissue for testing.  This was an intense experience,  sat bolt upright in a chair with my boob squashed between two metal plates whilst a large tube was inserted under ultrasound.  Many tissue samples were taken whilst the loveliest of nurses held my hand and distracted me.  

In our adult lives it is so very rare to be in a position where we are physically restrained - it was unpleasant in the extreme.   At the same time it was the most incredibly uplifiting experience too.

The nurses,  the equipment,  the hospital,  the NHS,  the procedure were all there just for me that day.  Just to focus 100% on giving me the absolute best chance of treatment for this tumour.  As much as I was uncomfortable and struggling by being so restricted I also felt humbled and immensley grateful that this tumour had been found so early and that treatment was coming so quickly.

I was told the results would be available in the new year,  that surgery was a given and depending on that result further treatment or surgery may or may not be required. 

It was two days before Christmas and I had not told any family - I didn't want to frighten Tabitha or worry my mum and step-dad or my sister, nephew and niece.  I didn't have any facts and I needed time to absorb the situation for myself.  

Christmas and New Year were lovely,  a mixture of family and new found friends that we have made in the local home ed community.

My results appointment was January 3rd and the news remained positive - the additional tissue samples continued to indicate all the nasties were still contained within the lump.  

Time to tell the family which was both a relief and un-imaginably hard - especially telling Tabitha who was understandably upset and worried.  I am so grateful that I was able to temper the bad news with the very positive diagnosis - I really can't over state how lucky I am that this has been picked up early.

So, as I had been advised at that first biopsy surgery to remove the lump  was to be the treatment plan.  A few days later I met my surgeon and a date was set.

So,  now it's the eve of surgery day and finally I have felt the urge,  the need and the ability to write the blog that has been bubbling around my brain since early December.

I am tucked up in bed at the family home ready for an early start in the morning - I am due at the hospital for 8am.  It's a day surgery so hopefully I won't be hanging around too long in the morning and will be home by tea time!  The offending misbehaving lump of boob will be sent off for full and final analysis and I will have the results in a couple of weeks - if all of it is removed and there is no indication that the surrounding tissue has been invaded then it's a big fat thumbs up good to go result!  If not then it may be necessary to go to Battle Station Stage 2 but I am confident that won't be the case!

The next few days will likely be a bit uncomfortable and I'm not yet sure how limited and restricted I will be in terms of discomfort and driving etc.  What I do know is that I will be well looked after and comfortable as possible at home with Mum and Brian until I am ready to get back to Midnight Blue.

I am very hopeful and positive that this surgery will get all the nasties in one hit and I will not need any further treatment.   So in a lot of ways I think tomorrow will be the end of a pretty scary episode but at the same time I feel it's also the start of a shift in me.  As cliche as it is,  health scares like this truly do open your eyes and alter your perspective,  bring you up short and reap great change forcing you to evaluate where you're at.  

I am not good at being vulnerable,  I am not good at asking for help tho I hope I am gracious in receiving it!  However,  I am humbled by the help, support and love I have been shown by those who have been on this journey with me to date.

Family,  friends old and new,  online and in real life I thank you all from the bottom of my heart.

Leaving aside the fact that it's all a bit crap,  it could be so much worse and I feel exceedingly lucky that this has been caught so very early!

Watch this space for an update as soon as I am able, hopefully tomorrow evening.

Big love people - travel far and wide and treasure the wonders of the world near and far. 

​
9 Comments
Kevin Bedford kevvek
8/2/2018 07:08:48 am

Your attitude and outlook to life and its ups and downs are inspirational. Thinking of you and your family and wishing you a positive outcome.

Reply
Sarah
11/2/2018 05:44:19 pm

Thanks Kev, really appreciate your message. We are 100% focussed on the positive outcome :-) Hope all well with you and your travels too!

Reply
Keni
8/2/2018 08:09:18 pm

Holy Shit matey, you've got me there! But so so relieved that it's been caught early.
My mam had a mastectomy in her 40s. I had a lumpectomy when i was 25. We have 3 little boobs between us. I am honoured and humbled to closely connected to Paddlers for Life, a dragon boat club in the lakes made of predominantly breast cancer survivors and their supporters. They are immensely uplifting people. Just like you, they make things happen, and win the respect and admiration of everone who is fortunate enough to kniw or encounter them, just like you.

I have no doubt you will see this through Sarah. Please just remember though, you have an army if support and love right behind you. You're not on your own.

Please let me know how you're doing. Promise you'll have a bit of a break. Loads and loads of love to you and Tabitha xxxxxxx

Reply
Sarah
11/2/2018 05:47:44 pm

Keni, you are one of the most inspirational people I know. 2002 had to be one of the best year's of my life primarily because it was the year we met and first paddled together. I am completely unsurprised by the work you do with Paddlers For Life and I am 100% honoured to call you my friend. Maybe one day I'll get back in a DB on some water in the Lakes with you :-) Is there an outrigger option tho? Love you massively Keni, see you very soon my fabulous friend xxxx

Reply
Darren
10/2/2018 03:07:11 pm

Hi Sarah. I wish you always ....all the very best. 🙏💜
I started to cry when readying this. :-( 😢😢😢😢

Please keep strong
And pray and wish for you and Tabatha
good health forever more

If there's anything I can ever do to help
you've only got to ask..I would do my best for you .
I'm off to travel the world at the end of this summer
Me and my doggies.
Lots of love and a big hug to you. XO

Reply
Daren
10/2/2018 03:22:56 pm

Hi again Sarah

If theirs anything you both need
and you think I could help. ..,
please just ask me.

I would do my very best to help you both
And pay for help or anything you all need.

Thinking of you and all.

Best healing thoughts and wishes.

Darren.
A BIG HUG for you XO

Reply
Sarah
11/2/2018 05:48:41 pm

Thanks for your kind wishes Darren - I am 100% sure all will be well eventually. Best wishes to you too.

Reply
Raye Powell
11/2/2018 05:17:24 pm

I love your attitude to this Sarah!! Thoughts are with you from NZ

Reply
Sarah
11/2/2018 05:43:04 pm

Hi Raye - thanks chick! So lovely to hear from you. Hope NZ is warmer than the UK. Big love to you all from us xxx

Reply

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Enter your email address:

    Delivered by FeedBurner

    Driver & Author
    Sarah Crofts

     49 years old - now 50!
    corporate hippy - Now a Hippy Traveller
    Droning into the city daily - No Longer!

    Dreaming into the great wide open nightly - still!

    Time to be the change I want to see - Living The Dream

    Archives

    December 2019
    September 2018
    June 2018
    April 2018
    February 2018
    November 2017
    April 2017
    January 2017
    November 2016
    October 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    February 2016
    December 2015
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013

    Categories

    All

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • Home
  • Blog
  • My Essential RoadTrip Kit - Buyer's Guide
    • Staying Connected - Tech Tips
    • Kitting Out Your Rolling Home
  • The Route
  • Photo Gallery
  • E-Guides